


Moonstruck

by Taua



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anal Sex, Banishment, Betrayal, Body Modification, Contest, Energy Sharing, Horror, Japanese Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Violence, alternative universe, sad end, shape-shifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 23:45:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10524435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taua/pseuds/Taua
Summary: Due to unfortunate happenings, Naruto gets exiled from his clan and their grounds.However he finds shelter with the moon-people, where the God himself takes care of him. But... will he actually be alright among the strangers?(This was my submission to the ItaNaru Contest run over at Y!Gal, when it was still operating.I chose the theme 'horror' and the quote to add was “Oh come now, darling, look up at the bright luminance above us. Look up and tell me you can't feel its lonely desolence deep in your bones. Tell me that it's not calling to you, begging you to feed its hunger.”)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cai (Zanya)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zanya/gifts).



It hadn't been only his fault.

He had watched the gate, like he had been told to, standing guard to the door which was used by so many demons and dark spirits to pass into the world of the living. It was large and massive, seals covering the large wooden pillars and the plank locking its front. The job was important and honorable at the same time, not to be taken lightly. In the past he had failed to impress the others and made many mistakes; watching the gate had been a last chance for him to prove his worth, a last chance given to him by the elders because of his huge potential. He knew that very well, though the awareness left a bit of bitterness coating his tongue. Yet he had taken on the job – which turned out to be the biggest mistake in his life.

And now he had to take responsibility for his actions.

The beings on the rows talked and chatted, the noise so loud to his ears he wanted to cover them. His head was throbbing with pain, though what sent the greatest ache through his senses was the ringing of the chains binding him against the pedestal. Thick metal rings connected his hands, another long chain leading all the way from his neck down to his feet. For a moment he considered breaking the bonds and try to flee, but a failed attempt would certainly result in a far more severe punishment than already awaited him. Though death was probably inevitable, at least he could avoid torture before it.

Loudly the judge slammed against his desk. “Silence!” he bellowed, voice deep and angry, and in fact the beings on the rows surrounding them quieted down. A white-pointed tip of a tail stuck out from his large coat, the sole indication that he too was a spirit. Not even his face was exposed safe for a pair of hazel eyes, rest hidden beneath a dark coat, making him look like an executioner more than anything.

Once he was satisfied about the volume, he nodded to himself. Pointing down at him he finally announced, “We came here today to decide over this spirit's fate. The great Inari court has gathered for this sole reason.” The judge bowed demonstratively towards a higher row where all sorts of Gods were located. In the center of them a man with a fox-mask resided, the great God Inari himself. Since it was his court he sat on the most important spot, reserved only for the ruler unless Izanami or Izanagi decided to attend.

From the corner of his eye he tried to peek up at them, simply out of curiosity who would watch him getting the death penalty.

“Kitsune-spirit Naruto.” Upon hearing his name, he turned his attention back to the judge. “The accusation is you abandoned your guarding spot at the great gate and hence demons entered this side. In result, countless of living beings as well as innocent spirits were killed and devoured before we could fight them back.” Naruto lowered his head briefly, the death of so many weighting heavily on his shoulders. Though he helped greatly to defeat the demons, he still lacked the power to bring the victims back from the dead.

And yet...

“It wasn't only my fault.” The words were a mere whisper, so low he almost missed it himself. His ears twitched briefly while his two tails waved behind his back, the stone under his feet cold against his fur.

“What was that?”

Gathering his courage, Naruto drew in a deep breath before he turned sparkling blue eyes at the judge. “It wasn't only my fault!” He slammed his hands against the top of his pedestal, the chains ringing loudly at his actions. “A snake was attacking a white rabbit. When I jumped in to help it, they suddenly opened the gate and-”

“Silence!” the judge cut him off, “Even if there was a quarrel nearby, it was your unmistakable duty to guard the gate to the other side. That task stood above anything else and you failed it!”

Naruto bared his fangs in a sneer. “How can you say that?! I couldn't just stand by and watch it die!” His fur ruffled up and his ears lowered against his head, testimonies of his growing anger. Though it was clear he was to blame and had no intention of denying it, Naruto wanted to at least be heard out and his points understood. To him, protecting a life was more important that very moment and he stood behind his decision with all his being.

The judge gave him a hard stare, looking down at him through the gab in his coat. “Even if it died, it would have been a bearable sacrifice compared to the death of so many caused by the demons. Or do you see those innocent lives as a price worth to pay?”

“Of course not,” Naruto snapped, the guild gnawing at his conscience again, “I thought it was the right thing to do.” Humbly he lowered his gaze again, ears laying flat against his head and fur smoothing out. “I do accept my punishment, but I refuse to take all the blame by myself. The filthy snakes are responsible for the deaths just as much as me.”

Suddenly God Inari rose from his seat, causing the masses of spirits to whisper in awe. “Kitsune-spirit Naruto.” His ears twitched at the call and he bowed his upper body down humbly, knowing he wasn't allowed to look at his master. “While your desire to protect is honorable and your aid in the battle was crucial, it is not enough to make up for leaving your post since it was the origin of the evil which caused all this.”

Naruto nodded his head while biting his bottom lip. For a moment he considered interrupting the speech and add something, however thought better than that. Anything he said would have impact on his punishment, so he might as well shut up instead of making things worse.

From up above, he heard a fan moving through the air. “Please wait a moment, Inari-sama,” called a genderless voice, dripping with power though it was completely calm. It sent shivers down Naruto's back, much like when Inari spoke to him but yet different in some ways. “The rabbit this kitsune-spirit saved was a valued messenger of mine, send out to investigate the moves of those of the Orochi-clan. We have proofs they planned to move for a long time already.” The voice paused meaningfully and somehow Naruto could feel a pair of eyes on himself. “I believe you would like to learn about it before you decide on the punishment.”

A deep growl came from God Inari. “You could have mentioned _that_ sooner, Tsukiyomi-sama.” He sat back down on his seat, arms crossing before his chest while his foot tapped down at the ground irritated. “We heard everything we need. Take kitsune-spirit Naruto to the cells for the time until we decide on the penalty.”

Before Naruto could thank them for hearing him out – he may not have much, but he possessed _some_ manners – assistants of the court pulled on his chains and forced him out of the hall. Probably he could overwhelm the two, yet he refused to use his powers. Though he was a rebel at heart, resisting now would do him no good; from what God Tsuki-something said he had the feeling he might got to keep his life, which was enough in Naruto's eyes. The punishment would be severe for sure anyway, but if he lived he could still work on making up for his sins.

The walk was short and before long, Naruto was thrown back into the wet, cold cell he had been living in for the last few days. It was made of dark stone and had a single, small window on top where he could see the moon and the stars at night while thick wooden bars with several spells imprinted on them closed it off on the front. Thankfully he didn't need food anymore, otherwise the cell would be far more filthy. Benefits of being advanced to a spirit, he guessed.

Hands still tied together by the chain he sat down, arms resting against his bend knees. The floor wasn't that comfortable, however Naruto figured he could deal with it for a while longer. Like always his tails closed around his body, not because he was cold but simply out of habit. Though he was a rough type he made sure to keep himself clean, his fur feeling soft and smooth to the touch. When it rubbed against his naked skin, he felt slightly more at ease.

Who knew how often he got to groom himself again during this life. Unfortunately, it felt like the Gods would come to a judgment soon.

The tip of his right ear jerked and flicked. For a while Naruto tried to ignore it, but eventually the itch turned so strong he lifted his hands and scratched it before shaking his head. He kept that from when he was still a fox; when he felt uncomfortable, he used to rub his paw over his ear before he shook his head wildly, ears flopping around noisily as he did so.

“Oh my, how very cute you can be, darling.”

In the blink of an eye Naruto jerked back to his feet, azure eyes narrowing when he looked around for the source of the mocking voice. He wasn't used the darkness just yet; even with his pupils turned so wide his eyes looked almost completely black, he could hardly make out more than faint outlines on the other side of his cell. However, after a strong whiff with his sensitive nose Naruto instantly recognized the shadow scuffling up and down the closer space.

With hard eyes he relaxed ever so slightly, the fur of his tails slowly smoothing out again. “What do you want, Kurama?” he asked into the darkness, annoyance dripping from his voice.

Upon hearing the words, a pair of sharp, red eyes met his before the figure stepped slowly into the light. Hair the color of liquid copper fell down slender shoulders, two pointy ears pocking out from the mane. Almost sickly pale skin covered the beautiful, delicate face and the bit of exposed chest, the rest covered in a wine-red, closely cut dress made of velvet. Gracefully hands rested against one of the large wooden bars, sharp, copper-colored nails teasing the surface ever so slightly. Almost playfully nine long fox-tails encircled the female form, the fur looking soft to the touch. Crimson lips pulled into a nearly sinister smile while the red eyes studied Naruto, delight and evil reflecting equally in their depths.

“Why, darling, I came to see you.” The voice was gentle and melodic, a sweet temptation to the listener.

Naruto knew better than to fall for the delicate appearance though. “Aren't you tired of walking around as a woman?”

The giggle Kurama gave was as light as a bell. “You'll get the benefits of shape-shifting soon enough,” she replied before sensually moving her body closer to the cell. “Most of our arts are about seduction. Though, from what I heard, you won't need to learn much of it...” Her lips pulled into a smirk, dangerous enough to send light shivers down his spine – not out of arousal, but rather out of fear and respect.

While Kurama took great entertainment in changing his appearance, the nine tails on the back were real, testimonies to the great power he possessed. The large ego he fostered kept him from hiding them, even if he nowadays preferred the appearance of a beautiful lady with sexual appeal. However, unlike most of the spirits Naruto liked to spent time with, his drive was of a far darker nature. Beside their God Inari, Kurama was considered the unofficial leader of the more demonic kitsunes. Some spirits even murmured about rumors of him plotting to overwhelm Inari and step forward as the new head of their kind and, judging from what Naruto felt, he was indeed trying to seduce weaker-hearted spirits into siding with him.

“You know,” Kurama started while curling a hand around one of the bars, “I could get you out of here. All you need to do is pledge loyalty to me.”

“Never.” The answer all but shot out of him while he glared right back into the red eyes. “I'll take my punishment, even if it means death.”

Naruto was convinced of his words and ready to face his death honorably...

… however Kurama's amused chuckle send waves of doubt through his body.

“Why are you laughing like that?” The question sounded more like a demand, however Naruto decided to ignore staying cool completely despite swearing to himself to not allow to get provoked. If Kurama laughed like that, it meant nothing good... at all.

Carefully he stepped closed to the bars, sniffing the air, trying to pick up any hints of what was up. It felt more tensed, more sinister all of a sudden.

“Darling, darling.” As Kurama shook his head, the long copper bangs waved ever so slightly. “Don't tell me you don't know? About the moon people?”

Confused but also curious, Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. “They are spirits who live on the moon. What else is there to know? And why do you bring them up?”

Kurama's new chuckle unnerved him, making his skin itch and hair on the back of his head straighten. “You really don't know,” he all about laughed, one hand coming up to partly cover his opened mouth. It looked elegant in a way, just like how a proper lady would act, but also strangely morbid. “The moon people like to take in foreign spirits to keep them as playmates. And once they fed their desire and grew tired of their lovers, they turn them into gray ash to coat the surface of the moon.”

For a moment cold sweat covered Naruto's skin, but he forced himself to release a nervous laughter. “Come on. You're trying to trick me.”

It wouldn't be the first time Kurama teased him in a rather questionable way. When Naruto was still young, even before he developed his first tail, he used to tell him horror stories which were supposed to scare him or provoke odd behavior from his side. It took a few years, but eventually he realized Kurama only wanted to mess with him more than anything.

Still smiling deviously, Kurama pointed up at the opening on the roof of the cell. “Oh come now, darling, look up at the bright luminance above us. Look up and tell me you can't feel its lonely desolence deep in your bones. Tell me that it's not calling to you, begging you to feed its hunger.”

Gulping Naruto slowly tilted his head back, glancing up at the opening. The sun had started to set and the night had spread across the sky, the moon somehow larger and closer than it used to. In a weird way, it _did_ feel like it called out to him, beckoning him closer and closer, to the point of no return.

“And once they feasted on your flesh and pleasure...”

Mouth going dry all of a sudden, Naruto lowered his eyes again until he met Kurama's amused ones.

“... all life and power will be sucked out of your body, never stopping until you are nothing but an empty, dry shell which collapses into a hive of dust and ash.”

Laughing almost crazily Kurama slowly retreated into the darkness again, his voice still echoing through the dungeon even when he was long gone.

 

~*~

 

The hours stretched on horribly as Naruto waited, growing more and more irritated with every passing heartbeat. Slowly the moon wandered over the roof of his cell, its light lingering longer on him than usual. At some point it felt uncomfortable, so he eventually retreated into a darker corner of the cell.

Kurama's words still ghosted through his mind, haunting his thoughts. Naruto knew in fact only little about the tribe of the moon people; they lived on the surface of the bright object in the sky but could descent to the world of the living however they pleased, white rabbits serving as their messengers. From what he learned, they were some of the oldest spirits around, part of the celestial three which stood directly under Izanami and Izanagi. They appeared rather distant, but seemed to walk the path of light and justice, so Naruto couldn't really imagine them to be life-eating monsters. However, the shine of the moon also held the mysterious power to change certain beings into hideous beasts, spreading death and destruction upon the area. Maybe they were more like the kitsunes, carrying the ability to stand on both sides? If that was true, there might be devious moon people around, much like Kurama was a good example for an evil member of their tribe.

Then again, it might all have been just a cruel, last prank before Naruto was killed by God Inari. As he already remembered, Kurama could be quite devious at times, simply out of boredom.

A frustrated growl left his lips and he violently scratched his hands through his hair, seeking at least a bit of release before he turned completely crazy with paranoia. Usually Naruto all but thought about life, but Kurama always managed to manipulate him into racking his brain anyway.

Suddenly Naruto's ears twitched, picking up the low noise of approaching steps. By the time he turned his eyes to the door of his cell, two guards already stood there and unlocked it.

Now that they came to get him, the endless hours seemed like a bit too little time after all.

None of them spoke a word as Naruto stood up from the ground and walked out, flanked by the spirits. They followed down the endless corridor to the court from before, floor cold and smooth against his naked feet. Oddly enough, the previous buzz was missing entirely; it was almost too quiet for Naruto's taste.

One of the guards moved ahead, leading the way. Once inside, Naruto realized why it was so silent:

The audience had left completely, the rows empty up to the very last seat. Even the judge was gone and, instead, God Inari stood by the podium. Dressed in a fine kimono and with a new, more elegant mask, he looked far more divine than before – as if he groomed himself for delivering his punishment properly.

“Kitsune-spirit Naruto.”

The way God Inari spoke his name made Naruto instantly lower his gaze and drop to one knee, the chains ringing gently at the movement.

“After thorough consideration, we came to a suitable punishment for your crime.” He paused meaningfully. “Your fault in the death of so many of us as well as the living is undeniable. Had you not left your position at the gate as its guard, none of them would have lost their life.”

Gritting his teeth Naruto closed his eyes, holding his breath for a moment. Silently he thought about the victims and spoke a prayer for them, dearly hoping they could be saved and find their peace eventually.

“What is also undeniable is your aid at fighting the fled demons. Without you, it would certainly had taken much longer to eliminate them and stop the massacre. Also, the people of the Orochi-clan were involved in ways that undoubtedly prove the gate might have been opened even if you stood guard as you should. This all influenced our decision in equal ways.” God Inari rose from his seat, the cloth of the kimono flattering a little at the shier force he radiated. “Kitsune-spirit Naruto – for your actions against your people and your God, you will be expelled from the clan and banished from our grounds.”

Even if he swore to keep his composure, Naruto gasped loudly at the words and couldn't help but look up, eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed in disbelieve and shock. While the punishment sounded bearable at first – after all, he kept his life – going into exile was, in some ways, even worse than death. Without the backup of his clan and his God to service, ones was damned to wander around aimlessly, existing on without a purpose before driven so crazy the mutation to a true demon took place or suicide seemed the only way out. Both were pitiable ends unworthy of a spirit, especially if they were as devoted as Naruto. He wanted to help, to aid, to grow stronger... Being forced into isolation, only surrounded by other castoffs, was going to be the end of him.

Though the slits on the mask God Inari looked down at him, silently gazing back with all-knowing eyes. Gracefully he jumped off the podium, landing silently right in front of the still kneeling Naruto. The long, white sleeve moved and revealed a hand with long nails, gently moving to touch a tanned forehead.

As soon as God Inari's fingers touched him, Naruto felt a jolt rushing through his body. Pain spread all over him, ache so strong he howled and curled together while a layer of sweat laid over his skin. He also experienced a horrible burning, pooling on the area around his stomach. It was hot, as if his very flesh was about to combust.

After a while the pain began to subside, though Naruto still quivered all over.

God Inari lowered his hand again. “I put the mark of banishment on you, testimony of your position among those of our kind.” His voice was calm and held a trace of regret in it. “It will hurt for a while, however I have no doubt you will heal soon.” There was a short pause, the silence disturbed only by raged breathing coming from the ground. “Farewell, kitsune-spirit Naruto.”

Out of nowhere a light appeared and engulfed Naruto, so bright he got blinded. Groaning he pressed his eyes shut, a strong, pushing sensation washing over him for a few moments before it disappeared again.

Catching his breath he remained still, his position the same as before. Eventually Naruto opened his eyes again and noticed he was outside, the court all but vanished while only wildness surrounded him. His ties had disappeared as well, finally leaving his arms and legs released.

Groaning in pain Naruto rolled around until he was on his back, his free hands automatically covering the space over his stomach. It still stung like a bitch, yet he kept from opening his yukata to check on the wound. Figuring out where he was and what to do next were more important.

After a while he sat up, teeth gritted at the ache, and turned sharp eyes on his surroundings. The area didn't look familiar, but judging from the smells he must have been taken to the east boarder of the kitsune-territory. Tilting his head back Naruto looked up at the cloudless sky. The usual azure was pitch black, bits of yellow appearing on the horizon. Sunrise was approaching fast.

Sighing Naruto turned on his knees and pushed off the ground, one arm still covering his middle. Swaying slightly he started walking, forcing himself to move on despite his exhaustion. He needed some shelter to at least rest up a bit; who knew what else was waiting for him out here.

After a couple of steps however his knees gave in and he collapsed with a gasp. “Damn it,” Naruto cursed, teeth gritting when his muscles tensed up though he badly wanted to relax. Frustrated he pulled his free hand into a fist and hit the ground, the small stones digging into his skin almost painfully. “Damn it!” His yell was angry and lonely at the same time, only the plants listening to him.

Suddenly a rustling caught Naruto's attention. His ear tilted in its direction, twitching as he tried to listen better to it. The noise was faint but approaching, however because of the direction of the wind he couldn't pick up a scent.

Growling low in his throat he crawled onto his side, tails jerking across the dusty ground while the fur ruffled up dangerously. Naruto knew his chances were low if he got attacked; in his current shape, he wouldn't be able to put up a good fight. Intimidating the enemy was the best approach he could come up with.

The bushes right in front of him started shaking, driving a louder growl from him.

Eventually something appeared from between the thick bed of leaves:

A perfectly white, small rabbit.

Immediately Naruto recognized it.

Turning his ears up – he had laid them back when he growled – he grinned cheerfully at the small animal. “Hey, it's you!” Grunting he made himself more comfortable while the rabbit approached until it sat right in front of him. “I'm happy to see you're alright again. I was worried, believe it.”

“I heard what happened and came as quickly as possible.” The rabbit leaned on its back-feet, the white face with the black eyes looking up at Naruto. “I'm sorry... you were banished because of me.”

Laughing Naruto tapped down on its head with his hand. “Nah, don't worry about it. It's not your fault.” He bend one of his knees and rested his arm on it while his other still covered his stomach. “Besides, I'm still alive. Guess it went good enough.”

Since it had no facial expression it should be impossible to tell how it felt, however Naruto could swear it looked a bit sadder, as if it knew how he really felt. Perhaps its compassion was even the reason for its next words.

“Come with me.”

Arching an eyebrow, Naruto glanced at the small animal with questioning eyes.

Tentatively the rabbit hopped closer until it could rest its front feet on his leg on the ground. “I was on an important errand when you saved my life. My master wants to express his gratitude to you because of it and send me here to offer you to come to the moon with us.” It tilted his head a little, barely enough to face away. “He can't remove the mark of banishment from you, but at least you would be safe...”

As Naruto considered the option, Kurama's words echoed through his mind – the tale about the moon people and what they did to foreign spirits. He had still to figure out whether it was true or just rumors, yet the chance to meet them personally just presented itself.

Hesitating he pressed his lips together, calmly rethinking the entire situation.

“Please,” the rabbit interrupted his thoughts, “Let me help you...”

It sounded genuine, as if the small spirit truly wanted to repay him for the aid he gave. Besides, it had no reason to trick him, especially after he saved it.

And so, with a grin on his lips, Naruto nodded his head. “Alright. I'll go with you.”

Large ears straightened and the rabbit stood on its back-feet excitedly. “Fantastic! Let's go right away, before the sun sets.” With that it hopped off, waiting for Naruto a few feet away. Finding its high spirits contagious he got up and followed suit. He felt a bit more secure on his feet now, however his knees still shook a bit, forcing him to take it slow. Noticing it the rabbit adapted its pace, allowing Naruto to easily catch up. “Don't worry. Master will ease your pain as soon as we arrive at the moon.”

Gritting his teeth Naruto felt his stomach pulse with agony again. “That would be great,” he gasped with a weak smile. The ache may have subsided, but with every intake of breath he felt the sting – a sting sharp enough to make him gasp, which again caused even more pain. A bit of help with that would be truly appreciated.

They walked through the wildness for a while before a red gate appeared in front of them. A small shrine was on the other side, flanked by two small statues showing rabbits and a crescent moon on the tip of its roof. The white rabbit hopped ahead and stood, its front feet joined together as its eyes closed. Curious Naruto stepped closer, though he didn't disturb it. Probably there was a special way to open the gate to the moon; he had seen other spirits perform whole rituals already.

After a while the rabbit turned around before it nodded towards the gate, motioning Naruto to follow it. Quickly it hopped on and through the gate, though instead of appearing in front of the shrine its figure instead slowly faded – until it was completely gone.

Swallowing hard Naruto walked forward, reconsidering his decision one last time.

Now was his last chance to turn around. There was no telling if he could leave once he had recovered or if the moon people actually wanted to help him in the first place.

Then again, Naruto wasn't a weakling; once he healed up he probably could fend for himself and at least try to escape. Besides... he was banished now. What had he to lose?

And so, with a last intake of breath, he passed through the gate.

At first there was only thick fog. Confused Naruto raised a hand, barely seeing the tip of his fingers when he walked forward, inching his way through the foreign area. The rabbit had disappeared, though maybe it was still there and he simply couldn't see it.

Slowly the fog cleared up, outlines of blooming trees appearing on the sides of his vision while he realized he walked on a path made of flat stones. Somehow it still looked like they were in a forest, much greener than what Naruto had expected.

Eventually the fog was completely gone and he realized he was in a beautiful garden. Cherry trees were lined up the entire path, white and pink blooms decorating their branches. The grass was fresh, mixing with the delicate scent of the flowers and tickling Naruto's senses. He felt some inner peace as he walked on, seeing a hill with a beautiful temple on its top.

The clacking of shoes on the stones reached his ears, catching his attention. On instinct he jerked his head towards the source of the noise, his aching muscles tensing on their own. Eyes narrowed and ears flat against his head Naruto gave a low growl, however stopped as soon as he saw what was approaching him.

A person stood on the path, dressed in a long, white kimono. A red seam ran along the bottom of the sleeves while larger strings attached them to the top, leaving the shoulders bared. A thick, red ogi kept the kimono closed, the strings of the ribbon on the back so long they nearly touched the ground. The pants had large slices on the sides, exposing long, pale legs, and closed tightly around the ankles. A fan with crescent moons drawn across it hid half of the face, however left black, bottomless eyes open to lock with Naruto's. Inky hair framed the face gently, closed in a loose pony-tail on the back while a small, golden crown kept it from falling into the sight of its owner. The entire body looked slender, fragile even; only on second glance did he realize the person was male.

“Kitsune-spirit,” Endlessly smooth the voice addressed him while those dark eyes never turned away. “I am glad you accepted my offer.”

Mesmerized, all Naruto could do was nod silently. He didn't even notice the white rabbit who led him by the man's feet, he was so captured by what he assumed could only be a member of the moon people. There was no other explanation on how he could feel so enchanted otherwise.

The man chuckled, the noise so light it got carried away by the wind. “I recall you being more chatty, little fox.” Elegantly he closed the fan, the wooden crossings clicking softly in the process. A smooth, aristocratic face appeared to Naruto, thin lips pulled into a small smirk.

That, along with the chuckled comment, broke the spell he was under.

Frowning Naruto bared his teeth with a growl. “Well, let me tell you I am chatty, but certainly _not_ little! Gwah!” The sudden outburst had him tense his stomach, the pain so intense he almost fell down on his knees.

For a moment, the man furrowed his eyebrows. “The mark must be paining you.” Gracefully he approached, the white cloth flattering as he moved. Without hesitation he grabbed Naruto's yukata and pulled the top open once he was close enough, swiftly lifting his other hand and laying it flat against the center of the pain.

The touch forced a howl from Naruto, the contact nearly agonizing. Instantly his eyes turned from crystal blue into crimson red, his lips pulled back in a snarl while his clawed hands dug into the man's arms, tearing his kimono. However, as much as Naruto's body wanted to fight, he couldn't bring himself to actually attack him – as if something, deep down, kept him from truly wanting to harm the man from the moon people.

Before long, the burning sensation on his stomach and the exhaustion eventually took their toll and Naruto fainted, the last thing he saw bottomless black eyes.

 

~*~

 

The moment Naruto came back to his senses he released a sharp gasp, his hands clawing at whatever was in his reach. Forcing to breath through his nose he tried to relax, his eyelids trembling as he tried to part them. He didn't know where he was, the smells so new and different to him his mind barely overpowered his instincts.

“Relax.”

Naruto only briefly noticed the voice, as well as he almost didn't feel the gentle hands cupping his head. Thumbs moved between his furrowed eyebrows and massaged his skin, rubbing until the wrinkles smoothed out again. Oddly enough, the light touch did have a calming effect; before long, he finally relaxed his muscles with a sigh.

“You developed a fever,” the voice told, the fingers still caressing his face. “But it'll pass soon enough. You need to rest up.” Naruto felt the hands work his shoulders and neck next, occasionally moving up to give his ears some attention. “Life has been truly harsh to you, hasn't it, little fox...?”

The voice sounded distant, speaking very lowly with an absent touch to it – yet he picked it up.

He felt how his lips moved, but somehow no sound came over them.

“Hm?” Naruto's vision darkened and when he opened his eyes, merely a slit wide, he saw the shadow of a body hovering above himself.

“Na... ruto...” When he last syllable came out he sighed, eyes falling close once again.

“Naruto... I see.” The voice carried a hint of amusement, however it grew completely silent then – and before long, Naruto drifted back into a restless sleep.

 

~*~

 

It could only have been a couple of hours, yet Naruto felt much better when he awoke again. He was no longer shivering, the sweat no longer covering his body. With a yawn he sat up, the tips of his tails moving faintly while he took in the area.

The room was spacious, yet plain. White walls with round windows, the frames kept in a strong red similar to the one Naruto saw at the gate. On the ceiling a mosaic spread across the room, dark tiles with white ones in between which reminded him of a cloudless night. The bed he laid in was soft, the covers like velvet to the touch while the pillow felt like a cloud. Not that Naruto ever touched one, but he guessed it felt similar to what he currently experienced. Sliding doors were located at the other end of the room, the signs for moon drawn across them.

A shadow appeared there and the doors opened, seemingly without somebody having to touch them.

Again dressed in a skillful, fine kimono, the man from before stepped in. Lowly the doors slid close behind him, leaving them alone.

Elegantly the man from the moon people bowed his upper body. “Greetings, Naruto.” He straightened again, his dark eyes studying. “Good to see you awake. Did you rest up?”

Still groggy with sleep, the sudden visit took Naruto a bit off guard, making him stutter as he replied, “Ah, well, yeah... thanks?” His tails waved across the bed, a habit he had since he was a cub. Whenever he was nervous or overwhelmed, Naruto would flick his tail uncontrolled.

However...

“Hey, wait a moment.” He furrowed his eyebrows while checking his memory before he added, “How do you know my name?”

The man chuckled, one of his arms coming up to briefly cover his mouth. “You told me yourself, earlier.”

“Uh... I did?” Embarrassed Naruto scratched the back of his head with a grin, looking anywhere but at the man.

“Speaking of names – I have yet to introduce myself.” He brought his hands together, hiding them in the opposite sleeve as he approached. “I am Tsukiyomi no Mikoto, ruler of this realm and head of the moon spirits for the last eight hundred years.”

“Tsukiyomi no...” Naruto trailed off, his eyes widening when realization hit him. “You're the _moon_ _God_?!” Rudely he pointed a finger at Tsukiyomi, completely unaware of the act itself.

To think the moon God himself came to his aid... Naruto didn't know if he should feel lucky or incredibly misfortune.

He was just about to say something when suddenly the mark on his stomach started burning, causing him enough pain to fall onto his side and curl together on the bed, face pulled in a grimace.

Tsukiyomi's steps were quick and loud when he went to the bed, his expression something between worried and thoughtful when he gently turned Naruto around.

“This might hurt, but try to bear it...” The whisper barely reached his ears, however it was forgotten the moment Tsukiyomi laid his hands flat against his stomach. A faint, white glow emerged from the spot and sunk into Naruto's flesh, the sensation cooling the burn from the sign. The pain intensified at first, however faded again soon enough under the treatment. Before long Naruto relaxed, his tight expression softening.

Eventually the glow disappeared, along with the pain. “Phew,” Naruto released a heavy sigh, “Thanks, I feel much-”

Suddenly Tsukiyomi leaned forward, his eyes closed and a layer of sweat covering his skin as he collapsed. On reflex, Naruto jumped up and caught his upper body, arms tightly wrapped around the torso as he pulled him further onto the bed. “Hey, what's happening?! ” Confused Naruto searched his face, unsure of what to do. He knew nothing about first aid, let alone how to apply it to a foreign kind of spirit.

“I'm fine...” The voice was weak, almost broken; nothing alike the rich, divine tone it usually was. “I just... need a moment.” Tsukiyomi tried to push himself up on the bed, however his arm didn't carry his weight and he remained laying with a sigh.

Eyes locked on the exhausted body before him, Naruto bit down on his bottom lip. “Is this... my fault...?” He lifted his hand, uncertain whether he was allowed to reach out or not.

Tsukiyomi turned around so he laid on his back, hands resting on the level of his stomach. “No.” He shook his head briefly, his black bangs pooling under his head. “Healing the mark made by a God... is simply more tiring than I expected.”

Eyebrows furrowed with worry, Naruto kept his gaze up. “... Will you be alright?” The question came after a while only and his ears laid flat against his head as he spoke.

Briefly Tsukiyomi opened his eyes, tired black looking up at his face. “Our power restores over time, just as there are phases of the moon. As it is currently waning, my forces are worn out much quicker than usual.” He closed his eyes again with a sigh, his expression endlessly calm, peaceful even. “Once we have a waxing moon it will improve.”

“Is there anything I can do now?” Unaware of it, Naruto lifted his tails and laid them across Tsukiyomi's lower half, covering his body.

“Actually, there is.” Pale eyelids parted again, studying him closely. His breathing had calmed down a bit as well, allowing him to speak more clearly. “As the moon gets illuminated by the rays of the sun, it lays within our nature to have the ability of drawing energy from other spirits.”

Nodding in understanding Naruto pressed his lips together, considering the words. Again Kurama's voice rang in his ears, when he explained how the moon people would drain all power and life from a body and leave nothing but an empty shell behind.

“I won't demand energy from you.” Naruto flicked his eyes upwards – he had lowered them on the bedsheets as he thought – and locked eyes with Tsukiyomi. “Just give me a while and I will recover enough to move.”

Enough to move? Couldn't he even get up in his current state?

For a moment Naruto shook his head, ears flopping around noisily, before he glanced at Tsukiyomi with determination in his eyes. “You've been nothing but kind to me since we met. I want to help you and I'll do everything it takes, believe it.”

Tsukiyomi studied him silently before eventually nodding. “If you wish, I won't stop you. Move your head close to mine.”

Swallowing hard Naruto leaned closer, sweat running down his temple when he moved his head right above Tsukiyomi's. Up so close, he noticed two fine yet long wrinkles, reaching from the corner of his eyes down to the bridge of his nose. He hadn't noticed that small detail yet; maybe the wrinkles turned more prominent once the body grew tired. Closing his eyes Naruto drew in a deep breath through his nose, taking in the unique scent – a mixture of fresh air as well as clear water, somehow mixed with something that reminded him of the human kind.

He felt a hand at the side of his face, gently pushing him even closer, and for a moment his breath hitched. Then he felt a pull, almost like a suck, and slowly his energy swept out of his body while he couldn't close his mouth anymore. Confused he opened his eyes, trying to understand what was happening, but all he could see was Tsukiyomi's chin and the pale neck, along with the material of his kimono. Their lips weren't touching, but they were close enough for him to feel the warm breath ghosting over his skin as they exchanged their powers.

So warm... so close...

Eventually Tsukiyomi turned his head away, the smallest bit, and the strange pull vanished as swiftly as it appeared.

Somehow, the urge to stay close remained though.

Obviously better than before, Tsukiyomi rolled from underneath Naruto and sat up, one of his hands coming up so he could wipe the sweat from his forehead. His hair was messed up on the back, however he still looked more than appealing, maybe even more so than before. “As I expected...,” he murmured with closed eyes.

“What do you mean?” Not feeling particularly drained, Naruto decided to sit on the bed, legs crossed in front of himself. One of his tails curled around his middle while the other hung off the bed, the tip gently brushing over the floor out of marble.

Tsukiyomi opened his eyes and turned his face towards him. “Your energy clouds my mind, since you once were an animal,” he explained with a calm voice.

Naruto's ears twitched. “Does that mean you used to be human?”

Interesting enough, his comment had quite a few emotions play across Tsukiyomi's face. At first there was surprise, though it quickly disappeared and left him smirking with a hint of acknowledgment reflecting in his dark eyes.

“Very good. What gave it away?”

A bright grin spread across Naruto's lips. “This here,” confidently he pointed at his own nose, “I've always been great with scents and there is something human about you.” He started rocking back and forth on his bottom, hands resting between his legs and ears turned attentively towards Tsukiyomi. “Say... How come you used to be human? Don't the Gods originate from, well, other Gods?”

Tsukiyomi nodded once, his bangs swaying a little. “At first, all the Gods were born the way they were by other Gods. However over time, when the people stopped believing and because of wars, some of us became either too weak or died in battle. To keep the balance up other spirits step in their role and become the new Gods.” Casually he lifted one of his legs onto the bed, bending it so he could rest his head against it. “The current Inari is very old. He has claimed the role even before the one you call Kurama was born. Probably that is the reason it never came to you the Gods may change over time.”

Absently Naruto tilted his head, azure eyes still looking curiously at much darker ones as he tried to wrap his mind about what he just heard. “Makes sense... I guess.” He grinned brightly anyway, exposing sparkling white teeth. Suddenly though the grin faded and he turned his head again, his hands coming up, one turned upside at the level of his stomach while he closed his other into a fist and gently brought it down on the flat one. “Ah! So, that means you used to have another name, right?” His eyes seemed to light up as he inched closer, a grin spread across his face. “Come on, tell me!”

“You're quite energetic now.” An almost teasing smirk graced Tsukiyomi's lips. “Where did that come from?”

Sheepishly he looked away, a hint of pink laying over tanned skin. “I didn't have a name until a very kind man gave me one. He used to feed me some fishcake-thing which was called Naruto and named me after it. Since then, I like learning names and think of why someone got it.” He shrugged his shoulders without a care in the world. “Guess it's a hobby.”

For the longest time, Tsukiyomi simply stared at him with a neutral expression, so persistently Naruto squirmed ever so slightly under the gaze. He also got nervous because of the silence which steadily build between them, making him so uncomfortable the tips of his ears started to twitch.

“... Itachi.”

Large fox-ears turned towards Tsukiyomi. “Hu?”

“My name from when I was human. Itachi.”

If possible, Naruto's grin grew even larger.

With a cheer he called, “Okay! Nice to meet you, Itachi!”

For the first time since they met, Tsukiyo- no, _Itachi_ showed him an honest, little smile. 

 

~*~

 

Not long after Naruto learned his name Itachi left the room again, saying there was business he needed to attend to. Given his status as God it made sense he was quite occupied most of the time. Naruto would have liked to join him or at least take a stroll around, however his body was still too exhausted for him to even consider leaving the bed. So, instead, he decided to take a couple of naps – which was quite easy thanks to the soft covers.

Oddly enough, even after his rest Naruto didn't feel properly refreshed. His muscles felt sore and tired, his eyelids still heavy... Most likely his body couldn't properly calm down in the new environment. Between all the new smells and the constant twilight outside it turned hard to relax. Plus, whenever he woke up the pain on his stomach seemed to grow stronger again, pulsing with every shift of position and even when he simply breathed.

Loosing count of how often he dozed off, Naruto quickly lost all sense for time. The bed was more comfortable than the cell he lived in the previous days, luring him to let his mind drift off and take a short break from the present. At least that seemed to work – for when he finally slept, he did so deeply not even other spirits managed to wake him. And judging from the bowl of fresh water and the carefully folded towels next to his bed, they came quite frequently.

Occasionally, his brief sleep was disturbed by nightmares. Dark figures hunted Naruto, large claws reaching out for him, leaving deep slices whenever they touched his skin. He tried to fight the shadows, however his powers were suspended – he could neither create fire nor use his more animal strikes, as if his senses were wrapped up in cotton. It was painful as well, the dream so vivid Naruto could swear he trashed around in his sleep, so much sweat covered his skin by the time he jerked awake, hands clawing at the covers so hard the material almost tore.

Much like currently.

Groaning lowly Naruto arched his back, eyes pressing tightly shut as he shuddered violently. The fur of his tails was ruffled up as he shook, so much they doubled in size.

“Sssh. Just a bit longer.” Barely the whisper consulted him, his body still wildly jerking and paining even minutes later. It felt like hours had passed before the ache finally subsided, allowing Naruto to at least relax his strained muscles. As soon as he did, the fresh layer of sweat on his skin felt borderline cold on his body.

Suddenly a loud coughing cut through the air, alerting Naruto enough for him to snap his eyes open. Confused he sat up, teary orbs searching the closer area though his sight was still blurry. Only on second glance did he recognize a body sitting on the bed, upper body bowed as its owner kept coughing uncontrolled. The next thing he knew, the smell of blood hit Naruto's nose and a hint of crimson appeared on the white cloth on the person's arm.

With a startled shriek sounding like one of an actual fox, he rushed to the coughing person's side, steadying him. Up so close Naruto could count every single drop of sweat on the pale forehead and hear the weak yet frantic heartbeat beneath the white kimono.

“Itachi...!” Uncertain Naruto grimaced, his teeth biting down on his lip when he saw the blood on the white sleeve and coating the pale chin. His hands squeezed down on the slender shoulders almost painfully, but he couldn't bring himself to soften his grab.

Itachi's eyes were half lidded as he spoke, voice trembling a little. “Sorry, I woke you up.” His body shook again and he brought up a hand, briefly covering his mouth as more blood spilled over his lips.

“Damn...” Overwhelmed by the situation Naruto looked around, something like panic reflecting in his eyes. He may had been able to catch Itachi quickly, but his limbs were still trembling with exhaustion; there was no way he could go and get help, let alone drag another body with himself. The smell of blood didn't make it any easier for him... if anything, it only blocked out his rational mind and instead boosted his instinctual side. And so, with gritted teeth, he did the only thing which made somewhat sense to him:

He lowered Itachi to the ground before he pulled the covers over him, leaving one of the sides open. Quickly he moved under the small space he created as well, feeling instantly more at ease once they were hidden in the makeshift den. Next he laid close to Itachi, pulling him in a hug while his tails wrapped protectively around them, warming them up. Naruto had absolutely no idea if it would help, but it was the only treatment he could think of for the time being. At least Itachi leaned into the contact; that was a good sign. Then again, he might have just been extremely tired and therefore came so close.

Frustrated Naruto gritted his teeth. Again he regretted having no interest in healing... When he was still a fox, he just licked his wounds and hoped it would get better. That treatment had been sufficient most of the times and even if he felt worse he still managed to somehow recover in the end. Maybe Itachi could give him some advice, but he was so weak, Naruto doubted he was even conscious anymore.

“Damn...” The curse was low but came easily over his lips. What should he do?

The scent of fresh blood hung heavily in the space between them and at some point, mostly unaware of it, Naruto lowered his head and started licking Itachi's chin clean. He was fairly familiar with the taste – a mixture of iron and vitamins – and the action felt strangely natural given the unusual situation. It was almost comfortable, even.

It didn't take long before Itachi was clean, Naruto's tongue brushing his lips briefly after his last lick. While before his actions carried no sign of desire, now he suddenly felt attracted; the pale, clean lips where damp and glistered a little, looking both inviting and delicate while Naruto remained close. He knew the skin was warm and smooth, the taste somewhat sweet... and the temptation to lean in and get another try was greater than earlier when they exchanged energy. Then again, his gut somehow tightened at the thought of taking advantage of Itachi while he was so exhausted. Maybe he even already crossed the line by licking him clean.

With a low sigh, Naruto finally turned his head away and closed his eyes, deciding it would be best if they both tried to rest for the time being.

 

~*~

 

Fluffy ears twitched as soon as Naruto picked up a faint rustling. His eyes opened, a mere slit wide, but thanks to his beastly strikes he got used to the dark environment extremely quickly. In the end he was long awake by the time Itachi moved again with a weak sigh.

Unfortunately, soon afterward a strong coughing cut through the air.

Concerned Naruto wrapped his tails tighter around him. “Are you still sick?” he asked, his voice nothing but a whisper. The smell of fresh blood rose in the air and the coughing got worse, so much Itachi's entire frame shook. For a while Naruto simply watched him in the darkness of the covers, his eyebrows furrowing more with every passing minute, but eventually he grabbed Itachi by the shoulders and turned him briefly around. Gently his hand closed around a pale chin, tilting the head back a little.

Ever so slightly, dark eyes fluttered open. “Naru... what...?”

“You need energy.” Moving a little Naruto adjusted his position, his face moving close to Itachi's. “You're like this because of me, so please... take everything you need.” With that he opened his mouth while he leaned in, their lips almost touching.

At first the exchange of energy was weak, almost timid, like Itachi was hesitating. However soon the pull grew stronger, the power all but flowing out of Naruto's body. It was more intense than the last time, probably because of Itachi's more than weak being. Naruto didn't need to know much about the moon people to figure out coughing up blood wasn't a good sign.

Much like before, there was an odd sensation sweeping through his body the longer the exchange took. It felt like Itachi's being was calling out to his, with a voice so sweet and enchanting he could barely hold back. Lips, soft and inviting, radiated warmth as they were close, their energies melting together and connecting them in ways deeper every touch could ever go.

Unaware of it Naruto pulled closer, his hands tightening around Itachi's upper arms, nails digging almost painfully into the flesh while a low growl rumbled from his throat. Ears flat against his head he stuck out his tongue, shyly brushing the very corner of the open mouth in front of his own. The touch send sparks through his body, his hair and fur ruffling ever so slightly when he leaned more into the contact, lips moving over lips tenderly before eventually sealing.

When Naruto thought Itachi's smell was good already, the word describing his taste best was divine; fresh, transparent water paired with the delicate scent of cherry blossoms, addictive and equally satisfying like ambrosia. He sucked on the mouth over his, tongue darting out to tentatively explore the space. It was warm and slick, foreign yet endlessly fitting. Groaning softly Naruto closed his eyes, diving deeper into the feeling as his hands moved up to cup pale cheeks and pull even closer. God, he couldn't get enough of it. Every time they parted with harsh gasps he wanted more, more kisses, more of the warmth, more of the experience.

Amazingly Itachi responded to the intimate touches with his own, growing more demanding the more energy he received. Pale hands came up to rest on the broad chest, fingers tracing the form of muscles above cloth. They didn't touch directly, yet Naruto felt the unmistakable heat of lust growing in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know whether he was allowed or not to feel in such a way for a God, a being so much higher than himself, but damn if he wasn't attracted to the pale, warm body squirming beneath himself.

At some point their kiss broke and Itachi turned his head away, his neck arching beautifully as he presented it. Unable to hold back Naruto instantly attacked the skin, his teeth sinking into the flesh possessively but not violently enough to draw blood. He just wanted to dominate, a primal need his more animal part still carried along. However judging from Itachi's low moan he didn't dislike the treatment at all.

Mouth still tightly attached to the delicate neck Naruto wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller frame and lifted them both up before sinking down on the edge of the bed. Itachi was surprisingly light for his height, as if he was made of clouds and air, but Naruto didn't dwell on the thought. His mind was too full of other things he wanted to do with the graceful body displayed before him.

With a push of his head Naruto forced them down until they laid on the bed, Itachi's long hair pooling beneath them while his kimono slipped, exposing almost white shoulders. Happily Naruto wandered to the new bit of skin, sharp teeth scrapping over the flesh lightly and yet red marks remained where they touched.

If anything, the sight excited him even more. It looked like his passion burned the skin, leaving traces of certain ownership and passionate desire where the fire touched.

Growling lowly Naruto tore on his own clothes, freeing his lower regions. A sigh escaped his lips when his hard cock sprung free, the cool air teasing his heated erection in all the right ways. Still, what he truly wanted was to be surrounded with heat more than anything.

Hastily he grabbed the large belt of the white kimono and pulled, tearing on the cloth until he got it finally off. Eyes red and full of desire he crawled closer to Itachi, using his knees to spread his legs wide and expose everything of him. The head was turned to the side, mouth open as he panted while his eyes remained closed, maybe from embarrassment or exhaustion. Naruto couldn't tell and, honestly, didn't exactly care. He only wanted to finally get inside.

Hands resting on pale thighs he leaned in, the tip of his cock touching the entrance-

“Stop,” Itachi gasped, his hand moving quickly down to push against Naruto's pelvis.

“What?!” Naruto growled, his lips pulling back in a sneer. He was eager to enter and they seemed to both enjoy and want it. Why, now from all times, did Itachi hesitate?

Catching his breath Itachi pushed slightly off the bed, his face blushed with lust. The movement made the kimono ride further down, showing his slender and heaving chest. A few black bangs fell across his forehead, the tie gone lost somewhere during their making out.

“It's too dry.” He stopped to gasp in a few breaths, “I need some- preparation.”

As if struck by a lightning, Naruto hopped away. His wide, red eyes instantly flashed back into blue and he covered his mouth, his face blushing so much he looked much darker than usual. Orange ears twitched back and forth, the fur smoothing out as his excitement faded away. The tails curled around his legs and lower body, covering him slightly up as he knelt uncertainly on the bed, eyes looking anywhere but forward.

Arching a black eyebrow, Itachi studied him for a while. “Could it be you've never been with a man?”

“T-that's not it!” Naruto found his voice a bit too high-pitched as he answered. “J-just... I've never...” The blush on his cheeks turned even harder and he looked away, his entire being sinking briefly together. “Done it in... this... form...” The last part was so lowly, he hardly heard it himself – yet Itachi seemed to have picked up the words just fine.

Chuckling lightly he sat up entirely, a smirk curling over his lips as he approached. “You surely are moody.” He reached out, his warm fingers gently brushing Naruto's cheeks and tracing the marks of his whiskers. “In one moment to the next, you change from a passionate lover into an embarrassed teen, even if you gave off the impression to know what you were doing.”

Puffing up his cheeks Naruto glared at him, lips pursing as he sulked. “I _know_ how to do sex.” Again he looked away, his ears lowering against his head. “And I'm not a cub, believe it.”

“Don't shy away then.” Grasping his chin Itachi pulled him close, sealing their lips tenderly. Playfully he licked the corner of Naruto's mouth before he moved away again and started for the small nightstand. Like before a large bowl of water stood on it and Itachi reached inside with one hand, moving slightly so the inside splashed lowly. Much to Naruto's surprise, the water seemed to thicken up the longer Itachi mixed it, the clear substance still sticking to his fingers when he pulled out. “This should be enough. Watch closely.” When he spoke he laid down on his back, legs spreading so the crack of his ass as well as the heavy, erected cock where clearly displayed. Dark eyes locking with azure ones Itachi then moved his hand, endlessly slowly, until his fingers graced his entrance and spread the clear substance. A gasp on his lips, he finally pushed one of his digits inside.

The sight was nearly mesmerizing – grace in every erotic movement, Itachi slipped his finger in and out of himself, slick noises filling the room while occasionally moans erupted from his lips. Unaware of it Naruto crawled towards him, eyes locked on the quivering legs and twitching cock as the being of his desire pleasured himself. Before long he was so close his breath ghosted over the heated skin, his hands coming up to rest on Itachi's narrow hips. Exhaling loudly he leaned in and gave the hard length a lick, his nose filling with so many scents it drove him almost crazy with want. Musk and sweat filled the air, along with the neutral smell of the slick substance and the bitterness of pre-cum. And the noises... The weak, heated moan echoing through the room and the rustling of sheets when the body squirmed pushed Naruto so hard he opened his mouth and swallowed the cock entirely, his eyes closing when the taste coated his tongue for the first time.

With every suck and bob of his head, Itachi thrust his fingers faster and harder into his body. Once in a while he rocked his hips upwards, right into the hot mouth engulfing him. It was slightly dangerous; Naruto had to mind his sharp canines to avoid possible accidents.

“Enough.” Itachi pulled his hand back and instead rested it on a whiskered cheek, making Naruto look up. “I can't wait anymore.”

Groaning loudly Naruto pushed up close, their chests not more than inches apart. For a moment he considered simply pushing in, but then he remembered the bowl on the nightstand and reached inside it. The cool substance felt funny, yet he smeared a generous amount over his newly hardened cock, a hiss escaping his lips at the coldness against his heated skin. But if that helped to make it more enjoyable for Itachi, he would bear with it. Besides – he could already feel the substance warming up.

“I want you so much,” Naruto whispered as he grabbed his erection and lined it up with Itachi's hole. The head touched the skin already, feeling how it easily moved against him; he had to close his eyes and breath loudly through his nose to keep from simply slamming in.

Painfully slowly he pushed his hips forward, the tight skin wrapping around his cock deliciously all the way. It took a while, but eventually Naruto was buried inside up to the hilt while Itachi's muscles twitched around him. Long, pale legs rested against a strong waist, the tails brushing the skin every once in a while. In the same fashion Itachi wrapped his arms around the sweaty neck, their chests touching briefly when they breathed. They were a bit closer that way, their bodies rocking gently when Naruto gave a few shallow thrusts. He wasn't as wild as before, moving at a controlled pace as they slowly got used to each other. The passion was still there, yet in a much chaster way than before, almost like Naruto was indeed a bit shy.

Sighing Itachi opened his eyes as he moved one of his hands to the back of the blond head, grabbing a fistful of hair there. “Hmm, this feels good.” He released a long, deep breath and rocked his hips against the thrusts. “Deeper. I want to feel you deeper.”

Gritting his teeth Naruto pulled tentatively back before pushing back in, the motions more fluid and longer than before. The resistance he met gave in quickly, the muscles and flesh providing friction while still adjusting to his cock just the right way. And judging from Itachi's content sigh, he was enjoying himself just as much.

“Yes... that's it.” The legs closed tighter around Naruto's hips. “Faster... harder...” Obediently he followed the commands, his hands roaming over Itachi's chest. He teased the skin with his fingers, nails poking into the flesh while he closely observed the reactions he received. Naruto didn't lie when he admitted he never had sex in his new form – while he knew very well how to please his vixens when he was still a fox, the more humanoid body was still new to him. What he could tell was it being different than the one of animals; it seemed to need more stimulation during mating, stimulation which went further than the direct touch on the sex. Itachi, for example, tightened up when he stroked the area around his navel. However, his reaction was far stronger when he closed his hand around the heavy cock and pumped it teasingly. Beside the loud moans, his skin got an odd, weak glow when he was touched on the right spots.

If Naruto was at least a bit lucky, he'd have more chances to thoroughly explore the divine body in the future.

Though, for the time being his goal was to simply get them over the edge.

Speeding up he thrust harder into Itachi, his hand moving faster while he fucked him. He sat slightly up to get a better angle, the hands around his neck lowering down onto his chest and teasing his nipples. The touch drove a groan from Naruto, a nearly animalistic growl. Apparently that was one of the spots he needed to check out closer next time.

Their moves turned sloppy when they got closer and eventually Itachi arched his back with a moan, his orgasm ripping through him with such intensity he scratched the bronzed skin beneath his hands almost violently. To make it worse he tightened down so much Naruto lost it; seconds after white splattered across their stomachs he came as well, buried as deep as he could reach inside the warm, quivering body under himself.

Lost in the moment Naruto kept thrusting inside Itachi, his breath coming in heavy pants as he rode out his completion. Only then did he notice he was covered in sweat, the cold, salty water running down his body giving him goosebumps.

With a sigh he pulled out and rolled onto his back beside Itachi, heavy eyelids closing when he focused on gaining his breath back. His heart beat frantically, yet it was somehow pleasing – like the kind of exhaustion once experienced after an enjoyable activity. Was that what they called the afterglow? It must be, because Naruto sure as hell never experienced such a nice tingling after he had sex as a fox.

Beside him Itachi sat up, supporting his upper body on his lower arms while he tilted his head back. He kept his eyes closed while his white skin seemed to shine, the fine chest heaving softly while he breathed through his nose. The pose and the wet glow of his body somehow reminded of the moon – so round, so bright, so endlessly beautiful in the darkness of the night. Had Itachi always been so handsome, or did he change once he became Tsukiyomi? Naruto found himself wondering about the answer.

 

~*~

 

Their meetings became more regular after their first time together. Every few hours Itachi came to perform more healing techniques and got so worn out Naruto gave him some of his energy right afterward. More often than not, the exchange somehow awoke a strange arousal in them which ended up in sex though neither of them seemed to mind it that much. In fact, Naruto enjoyed discovering what his more human body felt like and was capable of while Itachi seemed to relax during the attention he received. They mutually benefited from their arrangement, so it was alright.

Slowly but steadily, the seal's restriction weakened as well, allowing Naruto to move more around with each passing day. Though, he wondered how many days passed exactly since the realm of the moon didn't have a dawn neither a dusk. In any case, since he felt better he used to stroll around the large, pretty gardens around the main temple on top of the hill he saw when he first arrived. His stamina hadn't returned to the point where he could climb all the way down yet, however the occasional walks were a nice change to the simple room he resided at. He craved to see the other ground though; in the temple he only met rabbit-shaped spirits, servants of God Tsukiyomi, while the more human ones seemed to live somewhere else.

Eventually though, Naruto started to wonder.

While Itachi had no problems sharing stories of his past – for example, Naruto learned he used to be a human sacrifice for the Gods and left a younger brother and his parents behind when he died – he was oddly secretive when it came to his duties as absolute leader of the moon people. He did mention he had to keep the balance of the forces and maintain peace, but he never went into detail. At first Naruto hadn't noticed how he avoided the questions, however with time it turned quite obvious. There were also some parts he wasn't allowed to cross, the doors either locked with seals or a group of rabbits guarding them. The servants were just as silent when he asked them, turning deaf ears to his words until he was too frustrated to keep investigating.

Things went on like that – up to the fateful day when he decided to finally figure out what happened behind the closed doors of the temple.

Once he recovered enough, Naruto managed to shape-shift again. And so, when he was unwatched and strolled through the temple, he changed into a white rabbit and hopped along with a group of servants. At least he had improved enough to actually look like a rabbit; back when he first discovered his abilities as a spirit, most of his body would still either look human or fox-like, making it easy to spot him among others. By now he was so good at shape-shifting he even managed to alter his aura and smell, making it easy to blend in with his environment. To the other spirits, he just appeared like a new servant who just recently advanced into one of their kind. Quite handy, given the cellar picked up Naruto's interest the most.

Following the rabbit holes, he wandered through a seemingly endless labyrinth of tunnels and passages which apparently lead to the most distant parts of the building. The temperature seemed to drop the further down Naruto went, up to the point he shivered despite his thick white fur.

Eventually he hopped out of the tunnels – and found himself in what looked like a dark, humid dungeon deep under the temple. The area was cold and unwelcoming, nothing alike the rest of the construction. From the smell, Naruto even picked up filth and a bit of blood. Yet he decided to snoop around in the closer area, if only for a bit. He had no idea when someone would cross his path down there, let alone how he should explain himself if he got caught. It was one thing running into a new servant in the shiny corridors of the temple – finding one in a dungeon was a completely different story.

Suddenly a howl echoed through the dark corridor, so loud and pained he flinched right on the spot. The hair on the back of his head began to straighten when the howling continued, getting all the worse when Naruto recognized something familiar about it.

A knot formed in his gut, growing as the cries stretched further on. Something inside his head told him to turn around and run for it, but the curiosity was stronger – and so, with careful little steps, he crossed the dungeon and followed the pained voice.

The further he walked, the more noises joined the voice – the clacking of chains he knew so well, along with rustling of clothes and cracking of fire. Oddly enough, the bright light of the flames was missing entirely, leaving the corridors dark and almost frightening.

Another ear-breaking howl echoed through the dungeon, though that time it had a more angry tone to it rather than pained. “I'll shred you to pieces!” the voice added with a deep growl and then realization hit Naruto:

The voice belonged to Kurama.

Running down the corridor, Naruto changed back into his original form, ears flat against his head and tails straight as he rushed. If it was truly Kurama inside the dungeon, he'd need all of his forces. It took quite a lot to overwhelm a spirit as strong as him so whoever was down there had to be skilled and likely much stronger than Naruto himself. But hopefully, together they could at least get out and escape in one piece.

No matter how kind Itachi and his servants were – if they held those of his kind trapped, Naruto wouldn't hesitate to break out.

Finally slipping around the corner, he entered a larger space – and instantly spotted the body chained on the far wall with countless seals and metal. “Kurama!”

On second thought, yelling upon his entry didn't seem like a good idea, but Naruto wasn't one to care about such details. Besides, if he attracted the attention Kurama might see an opening and strike from his side at the same time. A closer look later, he knew better though...

Kurama was chained, as he had already seen, however his body was different than usual. He wasn't in his female form but instead his normal male one. Long, fire-red hair cascaded down his back while strong muscles were noticeable through his open yukata. His skin, usually a darker bronze than Naruto's, looked sweaty and somehow pale though, as if he were sick. Red eyes were heavily lidded and lips pulled back in a sneer while he growled at his captor – a figure wearing black cloth, covering its entire body. Even the skin looked dark gray, though it could have been a trick of the light. Oddly enough, Naruto heard the cracking of fire but couldn't find its gleam, the room remaining mostly dark. What he could tell anyway was that Kurama was at his limit already, his body worn out and weak.

Baring his teeth, Naruto gave a low bellow before he demanded, “Let him go, right now!” He felt how the fur of his tails ruffled up when his more animal part took over his body, azure blue eyes turning red in the matter of heartbeats while his claws grew slightly longer. Underestimating his opponent would cost him his head – that much was painfully clear once he realized Kurama's miserable state – so going all out was the only option.

At his threat, the figure merely tilted it's head, sharp, yellow eyes locking with his for a moment before it turned its attention back to Kurama. Somehow the frame of the figure seemed to tremble, like the surface of water, but Naruto decided to ignore that for the moment. Instead he focused on his hands, feeling how warmth collected on his palms before eventually a flame in the shape of a ball came to life. The light illuminated his closer environment a little, barely enough to see the ground and walls were made of smooth stone. “I said,” He covered down, knees bending and tails flailing wildly behind his back, “Let him go!”

With that he charged at the figure.

They weren't too far apart, so it took only a few long steps for Naruto to reach them. Kurama had called something he didn't quite catch, his entire attention remained on his opponent while he attacked. Quickly he threw the balls of fire at the figure before creating more, deciding overwhelming the enemy was his best chance. Once it was busy fighting off the fire, he could dash over to Kurama, release him, and eventually flee from the dungeon.

However his plan was crushed the moment the figure turned completely around, merely lifting one of its hands – and easily parrying the fireballs with seemingly no effort.

When the red flames were close enough, Naruto managed to catch a glimpse at the figure... and his blood went cold inside his veins.

Long, bone-white horns emerged from a head covered in dark-violet hair, arching slightly back towards the tips. Grayish-brown skin met black eyes with yellow centers, only bits of the flesh noticeable since the figure wore an armor of black flames, the single parts clearly to see though they were transparent enough to show the body and the dark clothes beneath, heavily blurred.

Usually Naruto would only be mildly intimidated by such an appearance, but the figure radiated an aura so incredibly powerful he felt his knees start to shiver. That, along with the controlled yet incredibly starving look in the yellow eyes, eventually made him stop his attack, the fireballs fading as quickly as they appeared in his hands. He could feel throughout his entire body how that odd being hungered... hungered for flesh, energy, _life_. It was going to devour both him and Kurama easily, feeding on them while either still alive or already dead. And truth be told, Naruto became aware all he could do for the time being was hope for the latter.

Before he could retreat the figure closed its outstretched hand into a fist and instantly black fire engulfed Naruto out of nowhere, burning his skin and clothes. He still howled in pain when the figure jerked its hand to the side, easily tossing the entire body hard against the nearby wall without as much as touching. The impact had been so strong Naruto felt his bones crack under the force and the air getting knocked out of himself, leaving him coughing heavily on the ground while the flames weakened to the point only small fires still ate away at his clothing. Probably the wounds would heal up soon – Itachi had weakened the seal of banishment enough for his natural healing powers to return – but he would be out of movement for at least a while. Quite bad since his head must have gotten hurt as well; there was a ringing in his ears, so loud he could barely hear. Suddenly his sight blurred up as well, so much he could barely see what happened however it was still good enough for him to understand what took place in the dark space.

Since he was put out, the figure went back to Kurama, steps long and elegant as it approached. Kurama jerked at his bonds and bared his teeth, surely growling loudly though Naruto couldn't hear. The figure however didn't as much as react to the threat and, instead, rose a hand to almost gently grab the chin – a horrible, morbid contrast to the armory which mercilessly burned the flesh so much it smoked. He could see Kurama tore his mouth open in a yell of pain, his body quivering under the ache. Slowly the figure lowered its head, the armory around its lower face moving ever so slightly as it opened up, almost like a flower which bloomed. And then the figure opened its mouth, greedily sucking in Kurama's energy to the point the life was noticeable as it flowed from one body to the other, a nearly golden dust which illuminated the area around their faces ever so slightly.

Desperately Naruto tried to move, to yell, to drag some attention towards himself, but his body didn't react to his commands and his words remained stuck in his dry throat. Only barely did he feel the pain of the wounds, the fire just a warm touch against his skin and his broken bones only causing dull ache; between the will to survive and his compassion for the monster's victim, he barely felt anything though he was hurt to the point of serious life-danger.

The longer the exchange went, the paler Kurama's skin turned. He tried to turn his head away, however was either too weak or too hopeless to succeed as his force and spirit were torn out of him. Previously fire-red eyes faded into a dull crimson as Kurama glared at his murderer, the stare hard and malicious enough to place a curse on whoever met it. Yet there was nothing he could do while his body grew weaker and weaker, skin turning ashen and crumbling every here and there until...

Sweating heavily Naruto jerked up from the bed, a yell on his lips. Wide-eyed he blinked around the room, his mind still full of horrible images so vivid they felt real. Only slowly did he realize he was in his simple room with the mosaic on the ceiling and the endlessly soft covers, like always a fresh bowl of water on the nightstand. His body was in no pain, his ears weren't ringing, his eyes were sharp and clear like always.

Swinging his legs out of the bed, Naruto took two handful from the porcelain bowl and splashed it into his face, sighing when he tried to calm his nerves. He wondered what made him have such a strong nightmare... Perhaps he felt homesick and subconsciously remembered about Kurama's offer back in the cell? Whatever the reason, the dream had been the worst in a long time.

The low noise of the sliding doors hit his ears, followed by feather light steps he grew used to. “Naruto.” Itachi's voice sounded a bit worried as he spoke. He surely noticed his distress the moment he stepped in; his intuition was borderline scary at times. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” A heavy sigh escaped his lips and he rubbed his face with both hands. “I had a nightmare... T'was pretty intense.”

“A nightmare.” The sliding doors closed again and the steps came closer, indicating Itachi was approaching.

Now that he thought about it, Naruto felt slightly embarrassed. “Yeah. I heard some rumors about the moon people killing other spirits to feed off them.” He lifted a hand to scratch the back of his head sheepishly, a small grin on his lips when he lowered his face to the ground. “A kitsune I once knew was there and...”

Mesmerized Naruto caught sight of his own pants.

They were slightly shred on the edges and, oddly, had a few burning marks on them. When he pulled his hand back and checked on his sleeve, it had very similar flaws. Actually, there was a rather large hole where the bottom of his elbow-piece used to be, the cloth so damaged he could see his arm through the opening.

Then, suddenly, he recalled a scent he picked up in the dark dungeon – a familiar smell of fresh air mixed with clear water he grew liking so much he missed it in the morning when he woke up alone. A smell he wished to roll in and rub on himself to the point it became his own.

Finally realization sunk to him.

The figure in the armory of black fire... The well-known scent he subconsciously ignored... The way it moved and looked...

All blood drained from Naruto's face when he turned around, his eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at Itachi. He looked like always, dressed in a nice kimono while his hair was neatly chomped back. Black eyes looked gently yet somehow unreadable back at him, the mouth a straight line as they silently studied each other.

“You... That was you...”

A tremble took over Naruto's body and he jumped up, his tails protectively wrapping around his shaking form. He knew what he had seen, what had happened so deep below the temple, but his mind still refused to wrap around the thought and accept the truth.

His friendly, lovely savior, the compassionate spirit who welcomed him when he had nowhere else to go, treated his wounds to the point of putting his personal health behind his needs... Itachi couldn't possibly have...?

“Something the matter, Naruto?” The face remained perfectly neutral as he spoke, sounding so incredibly honest it was sickening.

Subconsciously Naruto stepped further back, even as Itachi didn't move. “You...” He paused, eyes flicking right when he felt the wall behind his back. “You killed Kurama...!”

For a moment something like sadness reflected in Itachi's eyes.

“He was strong enough to become the new Inari. I couldn't risk him getting that far.” Itachi spoke seriously and matter-of-factly, as if it was self-understanding to handle the situation that way.

“What would have changed if he became a God?!” Naruto gritted his teeth so much it hurt, his mind desperately trying to reason whether there even was a legit point in killing another spirit. Kurama might have had an evil strike, yet he proved more often than not he was a reliable warrior. He even fought back the demons who came through the gate alongside them! “The kitsune have no relation to you at all!”

Itachi closed his eyes, as if he couldn't bear the accusing glance anymore. “Whenever Gods change chaos breaks out, followed by death and war. The people of the living world will beg for mercy and peace then, going as far as to sacrifice what is most precious to them in order to regain what they lost.” His expression hardened ever so slightly and his black orbs carried a heavy sadness in them when he finally looked back. “I became Tsukiyomi to end the era of living sacrifices and won't allow it to ever return.” A sickening smirk formed on his lips next, almost dripping with pure evil. “And since Kurama was a strong spirit, by devouring his energy I became all the stronger as I rid of him – killing two birds with one shot, as humans say.”

Horrified Naruto dropped his mouth open, uncertain of what to say. Never would he have expected such a dark side in Itachi. He was always so kind and caring, his embrace warm... To compare it to the monster from the dungeon felt too surreal to be true. Yet again his current expression, the ill-natured smirk suited the beast so much better...

Naruto was completely overtaxed with the situation.

After a while the smirk faded and a heavy sigh escaped Itachi's lips – so soft, so deadly. “I regret you seeing what happened in the dungeon. Personally I prefer to take the energy gentler and enchant my partners, however I don't shy from force if I have to.” Ever so slightly his head tilted, the bangs framing his face rocking a little at the motion. “And I also won't deny that part of my being, as ugly as it may be.”

Anger pooling in the pit of his stomach, Naruto released a loud growl. “How can you say that?! You- you could have talked!” He gestured with his arms, almost desperately. “Peace is something good! And you're smart, smart enough to convince even hardheads like Kurama! Why would you do something that... _horrible_?!” His bottom lip began to tremble and somehow his sight turned blurry out of nowhere. “You're _better_ than that, Itachi!”

For a moment Itachi stared blankly at him, however soon broke out in a faint chuckle.

It sounded so wrong, Naruto almost lifted his hands to cover his ears from the cruel noise.

“I feel honored you think so noble of me,” he stated, his expression softening and shadows appearing beneath his eyes for a heartbeat, regret reflecting in the sad black of his orbs. “But the human mind is corrupt, Naruto. Humans don't use reasons for their actions – that's why they kill though they are not hungry, hurt others without them having done anything to them first. You can't understand that drive since you were born an animal...” For a moment he paused, a hint of longing in his voice when he spoke the last few words. “Kurama's soul was tainted by that human part, enough for him to seek to become the new leader and bring chaos upon our worlds. Riding of him was the only way to prevent that chaos, and so I gave in to my beastly part and devoured him – because, deep down, I am still a once selfless human who learned to act selfish.” Slowly he lifted a hand and laid it over his chest, at the level of his heart. “I killed him for my very own reasons and will to maintain my understanding of peace. Even if you prompt other ways, other actions, I won't regret what I did and deny I wanted it with my entire being. That is my truth.”

The anger and pain over being betrayed like that grew stronger, too strong eventually – and so Naruto tackled him with a ferocious howl, eyes deep red and claws lifted. Itachi may have a strong part, but currently he was in his usual shape – almost too light for a male as well as fragile in his entire being. If he launched at him with full force, catching him off guard, he would easily be shred by the sharp claws and likely die.

To some degree, that fact caused Naruto a suffering similar to when he watched Kurama die in front of his eyes.

Sad eyes locked with his and for a moment he hesitated, however his body was too tensed, too ready to kill in order to stop.

… Yet Itachi caught his fists all too easily in his, twisting them around so Naruto's impact gently trailed off. In the blink of an eye he also had them both on the bed, clawed hands pinned on the covers right above a blond head and attentive ears. Still Naruto let his eyes slide shut, teeth gritting beneath his closed mouth as he sensed Itachi's light and endlessly powerful body on top of his own.

“What did you plan to accomplish? I am both, Itachi and Tsukiyomi. Never forget that.” The dark voice felt like cold velvet to his ears, its soft stroke leaving shivers behind. He should have known better than hope to win against a God in their own realm.

“So you've been tricking me this whole time.” Opening his eyes Naruto glared up at Itachi, his eyes back to the brilliant blue. He tried to pull from the seemingly easy grasp, but the hands around his wrists felt like iron. “You never were sick, were you, Itachi?”

Hearing his name spoken with venom, the corner of Itachi's mouth twitched for a moment. “No,” he eventually admitted, voice not more than a whisper.

Faintly Naruto chuckled – an almost desperate noise coming from him. “Well, it worked. I actually felt sorry for you.” He bit down on his bottom lip, so hard the skin tore. His chest stung with every raged breath he sucked in, yet there was so much more he wanted to do, wanted to say. “I wish I tore your throat out instead of giving you my energy.” Tightly he pressed his eyes shut, nothing but anger and anguish speaking from him. “Kurama always said I was too trusting and naive. Hell, I even...!” Behind his eyes, he could feel tears of anger forming and threatening to spill over, his heart hurting so much he wanted to cry out.

“Don't do that.” Itachi sounded so soothing, his hand gentle when he stroked the side of Naruto's face while he still securely held his wrists with the other. “You may regret aiding me, but do not belie who you are.” His ear twitched when Itachi laid down, so close his breath ghosted over his forehead when he spoke. “You're too pure to think ill of others, even when it's filthy beings with dirty motives such as me.” The fingers caressed his whiskers and the line of his closed eye, so gently, so softly... “Before the human nature can cloud your soul, I will drain your life and carry it inside me forever. That is the least I can do for you.”

Finally the tears ran down the side of Naruto's cheek, pooling beneath his head.

He didn't cry because he was certain to die – he cried because, despite the fact he was going to be turned into an empty, ashen shell, he still desired his murderer's embrace and affection. When did his wish to help turn into love? He had lost track and went astray, following the weak light of that beautiful moon blindly until it was too late. Too late to fight, too late to flee. Too late for hope.

“Please,” he begged as Itachi's lips brushed his temple, “Kill me. Just put me to an end.”

“No, not yet.” The response was calm and the touches gentle, so gentle Naruto lacked the strength to fight back even when his wrists were completely released. All he could do was lay there and mourn silently, forcing his tears back the best he could. He knew he was trapped in a silver net with no hope to ever be freed again, doomed to be a playmate to the great Moon God until he grew tired of him. What frightened him was how at ease he was with his fate, nearly feeling privileged to be with Itachi for whatever time they had left. Was that another spell to make him willing, or where those his true feelings? Naruto lost the ability to tell what he truly wanted and what was forced him to want.

“In the end, we spirits carry both inside ourselves, human and beast.” Softly Itachi ran his hands down the quivering chest, stroking the skin with his fingers. “Your human part damns and judges my actions to the worst while your beast part understands the force of instincts which tug at us. Sucking energy from other spirits is how my kind lives, how it survives and grows. We can't allow ourselves to pity our prey.” Finally he kissed the side of Naruto's neck, lips caressing the spot so deliciously a quiet moan escaped reddened lips. “But the human in us gives us the chance to make it painless, even enjoyable if we wish so. And tell me, Naruto, didn't I treat you well every time I took your energy?”

Gaining some of his forces back Naruto lifted his hands, burying them in soft, midnight-colored hair while he curled into the touch. He wanted to answer but every word died in his throat, only allowing mewls and groans passed his lips.

“Didn't I sate your beast just as you sated mine?”

His tails curled gently around them while he bathed in the warmth of Itachi's body as a morbid understanding for his reasons spread in his thoughts. He was true about the beast and the human they united inside themselves, about their different natures. Naruto never spared a single tear for the lives he took in order to survive as a fox, neither for the demons he shred to pieces to protect the people.

“Let's follow our instincts and be beasts together...”

Their lips met in a kiss so much stronger and urgent than every other time – their energies not flowing but instead mixing, melting together so they became one and found their inner peace.

 

 

Naruto was happy with that – and he'd be a beast for Itachi for as often as he still could, dancing their deadly ball to the bitter end.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Back in the years, I wanted to write some ItaNaru and participated in the contest for the ItaNaru club.  
> I tried out all the themes... and kinda panicked since it just wouldn't work out orz  
> In the end I watched some movie about Fox-spirits and God Inari, then I developed this plot.  
> Worked out kinda well by the end xD 
> 
> I really enjoyed working on this. Usually I have Itachi act differently, but I liked working out his character in this universe.  
> His appearance in the dungeon is kind of inspired by Sasuke's transformation because of the seal/white Sasuke, with an additional Susanoo armor.  
> Bossy still even as a bottom. And telling little Naruto how to do stuff xD  
> In fact, I tried having Naruto act more animal, more foxish. Playful and curious and impulsive.  
> I tagged it Sad End since it didn't look all too bright, though it's open-ended.  
> If you like, you can have them live happily ever after in your imagination! 
> 
> Regards,  
> -T


End file.
